Divergence
by morningsong101
Summary: They're not doing this again; the hiding and the running and the passive submission has got to stop. The mutants will no longer stand to be treated like second class citizens, and there's no time like the present to make that clear. Sequel to Bound.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own neither Terra Nova nor X-Men. If I did, there would have been dinosaurs with superpowers on the show... ;)**

**Warning: minor foul language; mutant-human hate**

**## ## ##**

Divergence: 1) Difference 2) A shape formed by two lines meeting at a point

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Elisabeth was a patient person. That is, so long as she knew there was some reward at the end of the wait. As a child, she never minded having to wait for holidays or for her dad to finally come home from work. She was good with sickness, because she knew it would pass.

But she was tired of this, the constant worry and wonder. And the anxiety was making her feel claustrophobic in her own damn mind. This wasn't just about her anymore, she had a husband, who she finally just got back, and three children, who would have to live with what people today chose to do.

_Be patient, Lis,_ they said. _What happens, happens,_ they said. 'They' were the new group of friends that had taken Elisabeth and her family under their wing (no pun intended) almost immediately after Josh saved Nina over a month ago. The MHRC, they called themselves. Rather, the Mutant-Human Relations Committee. They organized things like informational lectures about what caused mutation to debates to classes on biology and with it evolution and history lessons, and just about anything that could close the gap between humans and mutants.

Elisabeth and Jim knew what they wanted from them, and she suspected the children knew, too. They wanted allies. A surgeon and a detective would be valuable assets to them, not to mention the genius that Maddy exhibited. And Elisabeth wouldn't mind this, there was no reason to hide her allegiance to the mutant community anymore (even if she was still in the closet, so to speak), but she just didn't understand their determination to be, not patient, but passive.

Elisabeth was a patient person. But she believed in getting things done.

## ## ##

After outing himself as mutant, Josh isn't sure whether to cover up and bind his wings, or take on the MAP concept-Mutant and Proud. At first he decided to layer up, see if he can't pretend nothing changed and see if people go along with it.

They don't.

He begins to divide people into groups. Group One: people who like his wings. These people include, but are not limited to: Nina the Vampire Girl, who's taken to being his shadow when her parents let her come over to play with Zoe, Skye, Tasha, some of his parent's friends, that Mark guy his sister never shuts up about, and this woman who sells Carno-Kabobs in the market. Yeah, she really likes his wings.

There's Group Two: people who don't give a damn about his wings. These people include but are not limited to: Boylan, Max, Lieutenant Guzman (he thinks. It might just be that Tasha likes his wings, so he puts up with it for his daughter. No idea where the other two leaders stand either.), the guy who sells coffee in the market, and Mira.

And of course Group Three: people who hate him, hate his wings, and possibly wish he would shut up and die. These people include but are definitely not limited to: Hunter, Dr. Mansour, some religious people, some soldiers, human parents who think he'll infect their kids, his math teacher, some other students, and the newly wed couple who live two houses down.

Since people already see him differently and don't care to pretend otherwise, he decided to hell with it and wears a special kind of t-shirt made for people with wings. It zips up in the back and has a giant portion of fabric missing so his wings don't have to be bound.

His parents are nervous, but they let him walk out the door that morning. And the morning after. Four days later and he's still alive-lightning hasn't struck him down, no one has shot him, and he no longer sweats like a pig. He's even getting a tan (more like a sunburn) on his arms and neck. It's nice. Maybe he'll be able to _breath_ here.

He ought to know better. The Shannons never really get any peace, why would they find it now, of all times?

He's walking along the fence with Skye (talking about more secretive matters-like deals with Sixers and whatnot) when they're sort of boxed in. It starts with a big blond jock from school. Josh recognizes him from his English class; Matt or Miles or something like that. Than to the side, a slightly older brunette joins him, all muscle and probably no brain (well, that's what Josh likes to tell himself, that these people have no brain). And then two more from behind, about Josh and Skye's age. Josh wonders if he and Skye can worm through the fence, knows that there's no way he can fit through the small opening with his wings. Maybe she can go through the fence and he can climb...

"Hey, bird boy. Little far from the nest, aren't you?" the oldest said. "You and your girlfriend planning on running away together-or, uh, flying off together?"

Skye turns a light shade of pink, while Josh clenches his jaw in anger. He doesn't care for girlfriend jokes, not when he misses Kara so much.

"Got any wings under that shirt, sweetheart?" Matt/Miles jeers. Josh tries to pull her behind him, but Skye isn't that type of girl. He has a feeling that she'll kick any one of these guys in the nuts before she hides behind somebody else.

"C'mon guys, leave her out of it." Josh said, trying to steer this away from a fight, even though something inside of him is itching to throw a punch.

"Can't. Not when she's a mutant lover." one of them said.

"I don't know what's more disgusting, a mutant or a mutant lover." the eldest sneered. "Unless you're a mutant, too." he said accusingly.

"It doesn't matter what I am. Neither of us want a fight." Skye said.

"You hear that, Jordan? They don't want a fight." the blond snickered.

"Yeah, because we _care_." another one, probably Jordan, said. The boys laughed, as if some great joke was just told.

"Hey, I heard mutants are contagious. That's not true, right, Angel-cakes? 'Cause my little sister is in the same class as your sis-the illegal one-and if she gets infected, I'm gonna be pissed." a dark haired boy said, puffing out his chest.

"Anyone with a third grade education knows mutants aren't contagious. It's genetic." Josh said.

"So we should go visit, what, your mom? If it's genetic, maybe we really should deal with your sisters." Jordan threatened.

He could feel his temperature rising; this was a familiar situation, one he'd been trapped in before. Last time he had Kara to take care of, now he had Skye. And they were threatening his mom and sisters.

They say that in mutants, especially the ones with animal traits (mostly the feral mutants, but sometimes the avian mutants), protective instincts were heightened. Whether this was part of the mutation or that simple instinct telling them that they and their kind are in danger, no one is really sure, since mutants are almost always in danger. Josh was feeling it now, and he had never had a good temper to begin with (took after his dad that way).

Take care of Skye. Watch out for his family. Beat the shit out of these guys. Consequences later.

And so that's what Josh decided to do. Skye shrieked as his fist flew, connecting with Jordan's jaw. He hopes it's broken, but doesn't have the time to see.

Skye kicks Matt/Miles in the nuts and hesitates at seeing him crumple to the ground in pain, hands clutching at the area between his legs. And then she's moving again, ducking out of the way of Jordan's buddy.

Josh is brought back into his own fight when a fist connects with his forehead, and burst of bright color flash across his vision. He almost loses the advantage of being on top of his opponent, but swings back into balance. He's wrestling with one, trying to keep the hands away from his throat (these guys are serious. They're actually trying to get to his throat to _choke_ him...) when he hears a crunch behind him. By the gasp of pain and surprise, Jordan's buddy has landed a hit on Skye. And just when Josh is deciding to help her, someone launches themselves at his back. They elbow an incredibly sensitive place just under his wing and Josh grunts, trying to use his wings to hit the attacker.

And then he falls off his back. And then the guy under him freezes and then starts convulsing. It last for only a few seconds, but the guys make no move to get up, clutching at their heads like their brain is exploding.

"What-" he muttered. He looks at Skye, and it all snaps into place.

There's blood still oozing down her face from her nose, but she isn't covering it or doing that touching-but-not-touching-because-it'll-hurt-like-hell thing people do. Her hands are tangled in her hair on either side of her head, and she looks almost like she's having a mental meltdown.

But Josh knows that isn't it. While he doesn't have any mental abilities, he's seen what they do to his dad and Maddy. Sometimes when they feel overwhelmed, like angry or scared, their powers just go into overdrive and it actually hurts them to hold it in, but they do so anyways because the results of letting it out could be disastrous.

He doesn't ask her about, not until they're away from their attackers. They're still by the fence, unsure of what to do. Do they report what happened? If so, who would get in trouble, the mutants or the humans (it's nice and odd to think of Skye as another mutant, since he's been thinking of her as human all this time)? And if they did report it, Skye would have a lot of explaining to do, unless Taylor already knew she was a mutant.

He leans against the fence, the ache and tiredness already setting in. The ache will be gone soon, he can already feel his body repairing itself. Skye, on the other hand, looks like the walking dead. She's pale and shaky, and bloody.

"You should go get that, you know, looked at." Josh said.

"How do I say it happened?"

"Could say you walked into a wall or a tree. I mean, there are lots of trees around here." Josh mumbled. Skye shook her head and muttered something unintelligible. "So what was that? Telepathy?"

Hesitantly, Skye shook her head. "No, I can't read people's minds or anything like that."

"Then what is it?"

"I did some research; it's more like a psionic blast."

Psionic...sonic...something to do with energy...

"And that means...?" Josh prompted.

"I pretty much mess with people's minds. Hurt them." she said quietly. "I don't mean to, I just get so..."

"Angry? Upset?" Josh offered. Skye nodded. "I didn't really have to go through that with my wings, but Maddy and my dad did." He'd told her a few weeks ago, as a secret, about his family. "I can ask them if they'll help you control it."

She stared at him, a hopeful look spreading across her features, mixed with pain from her nose. She nodded mutely, for once no comment.

"We should get that checked out now. Unless you heal?" she shook her head. "We should probably go to my mom, we can tell her what really happened. She'll take it from there." Josh said, one-hundred percent confident in his mother.

"What if she's not there?" Skye asked anxiously.

Josh shrugged. "Then we lie."

"By saying what?"

Josh sent her a small little grin, a devilish expression that was at odd with his angelic wings. "Hey, I might not be the God of Mischief and Lies, but I think I'll be able to come up with something..."

## ## ##

Elisabeth was just returning from a small fifteen minute break. She'd gone for something to eat, having forgotten to bring a snack with her today. What she returned to was Jess Ogawa burning a hole into the back of Dr. Mansour's head. The nurse immediately waved her over, a furious look on her face.

"Your son and Skye are at your house. Josh looked a bit roughed up, but Skye looks like she took the worst of it." Ogawa said.

Elisabeth instinctively looked for the two of them, despite being told where they were. "Well why aren't they here?"

"He turned them away." There was no question who. Malcolm had left yesterday for Outposts 3 and 4 and wouldn't be back until either late tomorrow or early the day after. That meant the person with the highest seniority was in charge, and that was Mansour, who came here even before Malcolm, and would have been chief of science here if Taylor hadn't personally recruited Malcolm for the job.

So her suspicions were correct; Mansour really would refuse medical care to a mutant, and even a human who was friends with a mutant.

Elisabeth closed her eyes and counted. One...two...three...four... All the way to ten. Now wasn't the time to get angry.

After she tended to Josh and her young intern, then was the time to get angry.

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**Alright, I know I told metube that I wouldn't be posting until the end of the week but...surprise! I actually had some down time last night and some this afternoon, and, thus, Divergence was born! Well, written. Same difference.**

**Okay, this is going to be a multi-chapter story, I'm thinking a three shot, but maybe four. I've got most of it planned out, I just need to translate that onto paper. Oh, and a small warning: prepare for POV hopping. This situation seems bigger than just a single character, and I fully intend to delve into multiple people's minds and make their perspective known (including Wash and Taylor, don't worry).**

**Thanks for the lovely reviews. I know that Terra Nova isn't as popular as it once was, and so I know a lot of people wont be reading Mutants in Terra Nova stories, so (hint, hint) it's really nice when I get even a few reviews.**


	2. Chapter 2

Jim watched first as the group of males dragged their feet out of Command, their sentence to three weeks of construction and bi-weekly latrine duty for the the next three weeks putting quite the damper on their spirits. They gave Skye and Josh dirty looks, but otherwise left them alone.

Observation was a part of Jim's job, so it didn't really come as a surprise to learn that Skye was mutant. She was always so fidgety when mutants were brought up, and she had this look, one that said she was drowning in guilt (while not knowing what she had really done wrong), fear (rebelliousness-who were _they_ to tell her it was wrong be who/what she was?), and anger (and curiosity, always curious), and a dozen other conflicting emotions. He'd seen this look on Maddy and Josh's faces, seen it reflected back at him the mirror all those years ago.

So no, he was not surprised. He would figure out how to train her to control her ability. He'd keep in a secret, too, because he understood, mutant to mutant, the need to not let anyone know.

He was almost positive that keeping Skye's ability a secret would be impossible. The boys would bring it up, tell the whole colony that Commander Taylor's adopted daughter was a mutant. But they had no memory. They remembered fighting with Josh and Skye, but then their minds were a blank, like they just couldn't remember-Jim filed this information away for later, it was important to know what Skye's gift could do to a person.

They told the Commander and his Lieutenant that Josh hit them with his wings-those things really were strong, so it wasn't totally unbelievable.

Elisabeth had frowned when Josh, and only Josh, was given punishment: for initiating the physical fight, he'd be on construction duty for the week. A different sector of the colony, of course.

But it wasn't until the two teenagers were dismissed that things got...tense. There was the matter of the doctor to take care of.

Jim put a calming hand on Elisabeth's shoulder, mostly for his own sake. Elisabeth was furious over this, but she always had a much better handle on her temper than he did. He knew he could be impulsive, and now wasn't the time to beat the crap out of a scientist.

Reilly was sent to escort Dr. Mansour and Malcolmus. While the redheaded Brit annoyed Jim, he was hoping that his crush on Elisabeth would sway him to side with the Shannons on this.

Taylor leaned against his desk, looking more intimidating than he would be if he were sitting in his chair. Wash stood dutifully to the side, though her presence was just as noticeable as it would be if she were directly beside Taylor. Jim had seen them use this arrangement, it was to be able to see the situation from different viewpoints and have easy eye contact.

It was a trial, and Jim had no idea _still_ whom the two soldier's were inclined to side with. He hoped that it being Skye who was refused medical care would sway things in their favor.

"It's my understanding, Dr. Mansour, that you turned away two minors in need of medical care. Skye Tate, with a broken nose and severe headache, as well as a few minor cuts and bruises, and Josh Shannon, with multiple bruises, scrapes, and prominent pain in his back." Taylor said, looking at a a plexpad.

"The boy was healed by the time he came to me." Mansour protested.

"That's not true." Elisabeth said. Taylor gestured for her to explain. "Josh does heal quickly, but not so quickly that all traces of injury would be gone by the time it would take for him to get from the west sector of the fence to the infirmary. If you look at the recent photos, you'll find that he still has bruising on his back, which will actually take days to heal due to past injuries." she finished vaguely, not explaining that 'past injuries' meant the two times Josh had cut off his wings.

"He didn't mention that, he appeared in full health-" Mansour argued.

"Let's cut the crap, Dr. Mansour. You turned Josh away because he's a mutant, and you turned Skye away for association." Jim stated. Stated, not accused, because this was a fact. He'd heard all about Mansour for weeks and knew all about his anti-mutant stance, and, with a little research, had learned about the sort of organizations he sponsored: Mutant Naturalization and Rehabilitation, Humanization School and Work Reform, Need for Mutant Registry, Abolition of Mutant Liberation...this man was dangerous to Jim and his family.

"As Chief of Science and Medical, it was my right to refuse them care on the basis that it was unneeded and they disrupted the work environment." Mansour said.

Observation. Jim was doing hell of a lot of it, monitoring Taylor's movement. He felt his confidence rise as the man narrowed his eyes at the scrawny scientist.

"Temporarily. You were temporarily standing in as Chief of Science and Medical. By refusing them medical care, whether it was immediately obvious they needed it or not, you were violating your oath, and contract, to provide care without discrimination." Malcolm said, referring to the oath that everyone, doctor and scientist alike, had to take before working in the Infirmary.

"Actually, the contract requires I don't discriminate based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Again, it was within my right to turn them away, even if it was based on species." he sounded so smug, so self-righteous, that anger instantly flared inside Jim.

He had to breath. Just breath. Or otherwise he was going to do something stupid and horrible, like punch Mansour in the nose (see if he claims that's something that doesn't need medical care), or, far worse, make something explode. He could feel it, the tickling in the back of his mind. It was like the beginning of a sneeze, irritating and unwanted. And if he didn't _breath_, force back the mental sneeze, then chances were the dino desk Taylor was so fond of was going to be in a million tiny pieces.

And that wouldn't help Jim and Elisabeth with their intended goal.

"And what about Skye? She's human, there was no reason for her to be turned away other than association." Wash said, voice calm and even. Factual. This was nothing more than a fact to Wash, it seemed to hold no sway over her opinion on the matter.

Jim liked Wash. She was tough, and witty, and scarier than pretty much anyone Jim had ever met. But he hated how she could do that, turn off the emotions and appear every bit the soldier from the tabloids, cold and uncaring. It was nerve wracking.

"Perhaps." Mansour allowed.

Taylor looked between the lot of them, blue eyes studying and calculating. "Dr. Wallace and I will discuss appropriate action. Lieutenant Washington, Malcolm, if you'll stay..." he said, clearly dismissing the rest of them.

Mansour shot them a look that said he was fairly confident on how things would turn out for him. Jim and Elisabeth remained, having more to say despite the dismissal.

"There something else you needed, Shannon?" Wash asked.

Jim and Elisabeth glanced at the other, before Jim let Elisabeth, more talented with words and persuasion than Jim, do the speaking.

"Sir, we have a request." Elisabeth said carefully. She was answered with a single eyebrow raised in her direction. "It is within your power to legally require equal treatment for mutants. By equal treatment, I mean equal accessibility to medical care, jobs, education, and supplies."

"I was here for the medical care dilemma, Doc, but you'll have to explain to me how the other rights are being threatened." Taylor said. His use of 'Doc' was somewhat reassuring, as well as the tolerant tone. Taylor would humor them so far.

"Within the last two weeks, four noted mutants-Ella Russell, Jax Morrison, Jaime Martinez, and Lucy Thalman- were refused jobs on the basis of them being mutants. A survey has shown that mutant children are often treated harsher or altogether neglected by their teachers, and it's slowly becoming a trend to refuse blankets, clothing, and even food to mutants and their families, among other supplies." Elisabeth explained.

They were met with silence, nearly apathetic looks on each soldier's face. Malcolm looked furious at this information, his face turning an ugly shade of red, but he was ignored. Jim wondered if Taylor would be so silent if he knew Skye-daring, friendly, hardworking Skye-was a mutant. Jim couldn't imagine him turning his back on the young woman.

Well, that was an idea to explore, if he could convince Skye...

"I understand what you're asking, Doc. You have to understand, though, that this isn't a simple decision. You and I, Shannon included, will talk about this more." Taylor said, another dismissal. Jim wasn't sure if this was a good sign, or what. "First, Malcolm and I will decide on Mansour's case."

Jim knew Elisabeth well enough to know that this answer didn't satisfy her. But still she nodded, accepting it. For now.

## ## ##

"These Shannons, Wash..." Nathaniel muttered, leaning back in his seat. "they're going to be the death of me."

Alicia hummed her agreement, sitting across from him. "You're fond of them."

Nathaniel stared out the window, pensive. They were alone now, Malcolm probably back to his lab and Mansour's fate decided. They had privacy at the moment, with Reilly and Bradley patrolling just outside.

It was true. Nathaniel had become fond of the Shannons. Shannon-as in, Jim-was a good man. Loyal. Smarter than he let on (which could turn into a problem, sooner or later). Of course, it was the Doc he'd come to like first. She was damn smart, though she lacked the strong loyalty on account of not working close to Taylor day in and day out. But she was a good person, and Taylor was glad to have her and her talents in medicine on his side.

He had admire their courage and initiative. There was always the grumblings among the mutants, the desire for equal treatment and rights growing stronger. But none had dared to march into his office and tell him directly what they wanted.

But of course it would be the Shannons. They were a dedicated family, so it made sense that if one was mutant (he knew Elisabeth and the boy were mutant and suspected the others), they would rally to support them. And rally they had.

"It appears I am." he grumbled.

"They're going to demand an answer soon, sir." Alicia stated. "And sooner or later, the other mutants will too."

Nathaniel had tried to avoid this for years. He had tried to keep the young, shaky Terra Novan government neutral in the matter to prevent trouble between humans and mutants. In the end, he had only made it worse. He had lied when he said he needed Dr. Shannon to explain herself, he knew full well what was happening out there.

"What do ya think, Lieutenant?" he asked.

She locked her amber eyes onto his blue, a small furrow between her dark brows. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" she asked, her tone suggesting that what she was about to say was rather unpleasant but needed to be said.

"Permission granted."

"I think that the reason you're hesitating is Lucas."

A a true Lieutenant Washington fashion, she said everything needed in a single sentence.

Lucas, his brilliant son, out in the jungle using his mutation, his brilliant, advanced-_evolved_-mind to destroy Terra Nova.

When he'd been informed that his sons genius mind was do to mutation, he hadn't cared much and neither had Ayani. Lucas was their son, mutant or otherwise. They called it Superhuman Mentality. With it, his boy could learn anything and everything, figure out the solution to the worlds problems if he so wished.

But he didn't, not after Somalia. He used it to destroy humanity's second chance, because he hated his father.

And if his son, his charming, genius boy, could turn his ability against others so easily, who's to say that, with the right opportunity, one of the mutants in his colony wouldn't do so either? Ella Russell, with her infinity for water? Nina Scott's family, with their vampiric mutation?

And then he looks at Elisabeth Shannon-a doctor, a dedicated mother, and her own mutation: a shield and the gift to heal herself. Hardly dangerous. And the son, with his angelic wings and healing factor. Again, hardly dangerous. (Though he doesn't deny that trouble seems to follow the Shannon's footsteps.)

But in the end, he lets 'a few bad apples spoil the bunch'.

"Should I let him effect my decision?" he asked, somewhat to himself, knowing that Wash will answer him regardless.

"You have to do what's best for the people, sir. Not what Lucas has you convinced you have to do." Alicia said after a moment of thoughtful consideration.

He smirks at her. "Why, Wash, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you supported the mutant cause."

She gives him this little half smile, half smirk and says bluntly, "I like the code names they give themselves." He chuckles and she joins him briefly.

They fall into another silence, because the conversation isn't over. Politics are messy and complicated, and Nathaniel was a soldier long before he was a politician. He's better with action, with just doing it and getting it done, then he is with politics and all the words and implications that go along with it.

The light footsteps warn them to someone's approach. Reilly stands there, posture just a little too rigid for the young lieutenant, eyes a little too wide, and this look of _what am I thinking?_ written clearly across her face.

"Reilly." he acknowledges.

"Sir, earlier, with the Shannons...I couldn't help overhearing..." Reilly said nervously. Nathaniel wonders if she's about to have a breakdown, because this is completely out of character for the ever composed soldier.

"Feel free to spit it out, Reilly." Alicia coaxes.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Reilly said instead. It's the second time that evening that Nathaniel has heard that request, and it's only out of morbid curiosity that he grants her permission.

The young woman takes a fortifying breath and then launches into what had to be a mentally rehearsed speech.

"As the first Commander of Terra Nova, you set the precedent, sir. The mutants are growing restless, imagine what it'll be like in ten or twenty years and they still haven't been granted equal rights. Should you chose to continue overlooking their mistreatment, they'll either rebel or leave. And they'll be capable of making it out in the jungle, they're stronger then humans. If you chose to answer them, grant them what they've been working towards for hundreds of years, you'll more then likely have them as lifelong allies-and mutants are better allies than enemies... And, seeing as you set the precedent, should you treat them well, I can almost guarantee that others in the colony will follow suit, as will, hopefully, the next commander." she said. "Sir." she added.

Okay. Nothing like being told how it is by someone over twenty years younger than you, a lower rank, and somewhat acknowledging mentally that they're right.

He gave her a look of contemplation, allowing time for any leftover thoughts to make themselves known. When it became clear that there wasn't, nods and runs a hand through his hair.

"Thank you, Reilly. If that's all...?" he said.

"Yes, sir."

"Then back to your rounds." he ordered.

After watching the young woman retreat, he turned back to Alicia. "Only one of your kids, Wash, only one of your kids..."

"The woman's got guts." Alicia agreed. "And a point..."

Nathaniel grimaced and wished he had a drink right about then.

## ## ##

Laura Reilly felt as though she'd just gone to battle and back. It was probably stupid of her to go into her superior's domain and tell him that he ought to give mutants equal rights, but she just couldn't shake Dr. Shannon's words from her mind. She admired the woman and her husband, probably one of the first people ever to have the guts to take the mutant-human debate _to_ the commander.

And she felt proud of herself. She did it. She finally spoke in favor of mutant rights. And, hey, nothing particularly bad had happened, besides embarrassing herself in front of her superiors.

Glancing around, Laura flicked her hand open and shut, grinning as bolts of electricity sparked from her hand.

## ## ## ##

**I wrote and rewrote this chapter at least three times. And now I've stayed up into the late hours of the night finishing this. My brain feels fried. Please forgive any and all errors.**

**So there was some Taylor action. I hope I did him and Wash justice, I've always found those two so difficult to write. And I know Reilly was sort of OOC, but she needed to be for the sake of the moment.**

**I've heard of Friends of Humanity from reading X-Men fanfiction, but since I've only ever see the movies I didn't feel comfortable saying Mansour was a part of it, seeing as I had no idea what they did in the comics and all that. Which is why I created those organizations...**

**Don't be shy, by the way, leave a review, tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

Skye didn't usually care what people thought of her. Despite what the older and grouchier residents of Terra Nova thought, she was not a delinquent. A bit of a trouble maker/seeker, sure, but she wasn't a teenage criminal. And despite what some people thought, she was still just a kid. An older kid who had a job and lived in a house without her parents, sure, but still young.

Young and inexperienced enough to feel self conscious with the way people were looking at her. How they were talking about her. Since Mansour had been put on a sort of probation a few days ago, rumors had spread through the colony like a wildfire.

_Maybe she's one of them._

_ She's always been weird, makes sense that she's not one of us._

_ I heard that Shannon guy recruited her._

Humans. Gotta love them, right?

For the most part she ignores it, buries it under the mountain of problems she had, like Sixers and school and work. And all those problems are promptly buried under the good things that happen in her life, because if she focuses on the bad her mind will explode and that is definitely a bad thing.

Stress plus mental mutation equals bad. It's one of the few equations she's understood right off the bat.

Josh is busy at work, making sure to stay on Boylan's good side so he can get Kara here. Hunter and her aren't really talking at the moment and Tasha is trying to be the bridge between the two of them, and is today working on whatever the hell Hunter's problem is. So it leaves her with Max.

Max had been her second friend in Terra Nova, right after Tasha. Tasha was a bit of a girly girl, though, and never found nearly as much joy in climbing trees and playing in the mud as Skye and Max (and Hunter, but, again, they're not speaking right now). It's been a few years, and now they usually have fun by trading in tree climbing for cliff diving and playing in the mud for drinking.

That's not what they're doing now, though. They seemed to have gone backwards in time and are currently perched in a tree on branches that are probably too thin to be safe for people their size.

Well, even when they were younger, they enjoyed a bit of danger.

"How's your face?"

The question is blunt and a bit random, if it were anyone else Skye would have assumed they were insulting her looks, but she knows he's genuinely concerned.

"Hurts. Remember when _you_ broke your nose?" Skye asked, referring to the time they had been rough housing while in a tree and he fell on his face. He smiled and laughed.

"Just asking, babe." he said. "How have you been? With all the rumors and crap going around?"

Skye has practice lying to people, so it's easy to look him in the eye and smile. "You know I don't care what they say about me."

Max wont push, and she loves that about him. In their little group, he's The Nice Guy, and thank whoever-the-hell-is-up-there for it. He just lets her know he's there and lets it be.

"Have you heard what's going on?" he asked.

Or maybe not. Maybe Max feels like pushing it today.

"No, Maxi." Sky answered, forcing herself to be patient and not jump to conclusions.

"I heard that the mutants are thinking about leaving." he said.

Skye rolled her eyes. "People have been saying that for years."

Max shook his head. "No, I heard that they're _really_ thinking about it. Like, they're talking about making a new settlement for mutants. Creating scenarios for it and talking about who would lead them."

Skye must still look skeptical, because Max continues to try to convince her.

"I heard some of the kids at school, the ones in the Mutant Club, talk about it. Said their parents were getting tired of sitting around and just waiting." he said.

"Doesn't mean any of them will actually leave." Skye pointed out. People said things in anger and frustration all the time, it didn't mean they'd follow through with what they said.

Max shrugged and didn't argue. "If you were a mutant, would you go?"

The question catches her totally off guard, she feels like she's been slapped. There was that feeling creeping up inside her, that fear that he _knows_. And he can't know, she's not ready. She wants to be Skye. Just Skye. Not Skye the Mutant, or Skye the Freak.

He's not glaring at her, the look on his face is normal and oblivious to the spike of emotion he's invoked in her. She collects herself within seconds, fairly confident that he didn't notice her slight slip.

"What?"

"If you were a mutant, would you stay or would you go?"

A sigh slips out of her mouth, and she actually feels herself contemplating it. To stay would be to hide or be ridiculed and threatened. To leave would mean to have to build a whole new life out in the dinosaur dominated jungle, away from everything she's come to love here.

"I don't know."

The alarm on her watch goes off. Time to meet with Mr. Shannon for her first lesson.

**Okay, I am so sorry. I honestly tried to get this written sooner, but it was like drawing blood from a stone. But I couldn't just let Divergence sink to the bottom of my documents folder, so I ended up with this tiny little filler chapter. Again, sorry.**

**I try to make a point of answering my reviewers, whether it be with thanks or just answers to their questions. SOMEONE however doesn't allow private messaging, so I'm just going to have to reply here.**

JoyScott13**: Thanks! Like I told another reviewer, I was uncertain how a Terra NovaxX-Men crossover would be received, and I'm seriously psyched that it's been met with positive reviews. I'm also glad I'm still writing TN, and I've got a few more stories in mind for our beloved Shannons and Co..**

**Also, thanks to **metube** for their steady flow of reviews and being something of a sounding board for ideas.**

**So, yeah, feel free to leave a review before you go!**


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